Easy A: Give the last leadership position to Morgan Rielly

Unless you’ve actually been enjoying your summer and ignoring hockey, you probably noticed that the Toronto Maple Leafs have named Auston Matthews as their 26th captain in franchise history. A less significant part of the announcement was Brad Treliving confirming that John Tavares would be wearing an “A” for the Maple Leafs this season. Whether that will be part of a rotation like the Maple Leafs have used in the past with home and away responsibilities or whether it will be a full-time position remains to be seen, but Tavares remains part of the picture. One could argue that the Leafs have an opportunity to embrace a really strong leadership group and make the easy decision to confirm Morgan Rielly as the other full-time alternate captain.

The rotation system always has a bit of a house league peewee hockey feel to it. It’s fun to have everyone wear a letter and to some extent it creates a greater sense of ownership over the team, but it dilutes the meaning of the role. While going with 2 permanent replacements instead of a rotation eliminates players like Mitch Marner, William Nylander, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Chris Tanev, all of whom may have something to offer in the role, it elevates Morgan Rielly in a way that he deserves. Outside of John Tavares and Auston Matthews, there’s really only one player who deserves to be in the captaincy discussion and that’s Morgan Rielly, a player who has excelled in his role as a spokesperson for the team, in the community, leading by example on the ice and elevating his game in the biggest moments of the year. His work ethic has been praised by all and as the longest-tenured Leaf, his dedication to the team stands out.

Since Ekman-Larsson and Tanev are new to the Leafs, it’s probably unnecessary to include them in leadership discussions. Ekman-Larsson is a former captain and his voice in the room will carry a lot of weight, especially with the Leafs’ Swedish Mafia, but like Tavares stepping down as captain, less formal team responsibility might be the right situation for the defenseman entering a year in a new environment. Tanev, a long-term replacement, will be in a similar situation. He’ll certainly be a role model and will undoubtedly demonstrate how much he cares about his teammates and wants them to care about them with every shift, but he doesn’t have the dedication to the market that Rielly has shown that makes him stand out.

When it comes to the current Leafs, things may be a little trickier. William Nylander has made great strides in recent years to become a reliable voice in the locker room, especially among European players. His ability to thrive and navigate the Toronto market with ease is something the Leafs should try to encourage in others, but Nylander’s personality also seems to lend itself to him not needing a letter on his jersey.

Mitch Marner’s situation is murkier. He regularly wears an “A” and seems to be a source of pride for him. By all accounts, Marner is a great team player and his genuine connection with prospects like Easton Cowan and his welcoming attitude to all new Leafs is an example of what he can bring. The issues with composure during the playoffs and in the media do raise some questions, but at a time when Marner’s contract is expiring, the Leafs need to consider whether they really want to push Marner for a leadership position.

From an outsider’s perspective, it’s worth stepping away from the rotating ‘A’ approach and letting Marner offload that responsibility, as a Matthews, Tavares, and Rielly group seems a cut above the rest and defensible for anyone in the room. There are still plenty of injury opportunities to bring Marner in as the next in line, but just as Tavares is taking a step back, it might be time for Marner to do the same, especially since he’s been reluctant to commit to the team beyond the 2024-25 season.

By the end of the season, Morgan Rielly will likely be tied for 9th in all-time games played in a Maple Leafs uniform. Assuming he’s healthy, Rielly could be at the top of that list by the time his contract is up. That’s pretty substantial when you consider that the guys ahead of him are George Armstrong, Tim Horton, Borje Salming, Mats Sundin, Darryl Sittler, Dave Keon, etc. This isn’t so much about beating others as it is about elevating Rielly’s status, and that should be something everyone can get behind.